Change Design

The Kurt Lewin change model

In modern businesses and organisations, the ‘refreeze’ state can be transitory and brief, as
the quest for improvement drives onwards.

Unfreeze

Quite simply – something needs to change. Due to an external or internal driver (or drivers), the
business or organisation needs to restructure, reorganise, reengineer its processes, change or develop new
technology solutions. This could be in response to a change in the business, financial, management,
operational, people or technology environment (for example, increased competition or a commercial threat, or
an acquisition or merger). In the ‘unfreeze’ state, you should seek to ‘unlock’ the
present way of doing things or ‘status quo’, establish a new vision for the business, establish
the change requirements and approach for implementing the changes.

Move

In this state, you are planning and executing the required changes, managing implementation of all change
products and ensuring delivery of the required benefits.

Refreeze

In this state, the changes are fully implemented and consolidated and become the ‘steady state’
management and operation of the business or organisation – at least until the next big ‘unfreeze’
takes place!